Insole for shoes



Aug. 17, 1937. CLIFFORD 2,090,410

INSOLE FQR SHOES F'iled Oct. 27, 1936 8. Pyroxylin Cocflings Rubber\mpregnuTed.

Fibrous SheeT Mu'reriol Gum: Perchu Film Insole lnvenror. James U. CliFford b way-WW Aflys.

Patented .Aug. 17, 1937 .lames J. Clifford, Reading, Stedfast RubberCompany,

Mass assignor to Inc., Mattapan,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application October 27, 1936,Serial No. 107,805

1 Claim.

This invention has for its object to provide an insole for that type ofwomens shoes wherein the edge of the insole is exposed to view and whichare generally known as open shank shoes.

Womens shoes have for many years been very largely made in a form inwhich substantial or major portions of the upper are cut away oromitted, leaving the shank of the shoe and other portions of the soleexposed to view. This leaves the insole which forms a structural part ofthe shoe with its edges at the open portions of the upper at the shankand elsewhere exposed to view. But the edges of an insole, particularlywhen made of fibrous compositions, now extensively employed for thatpurpose, are not of a character to present a pleasing and desirableappearance and in the ordinary type of shoes where the upper is completeare concealed from view.

It has been a diflicult problem to provide an insole for these openshank shoes, the edges of which shall present a finished, durable andpleaslng appearance and this is all the more important because the verynature of open shank or womens cut-out shoes is such as to attractattention.

The present invention presents an insole in which the edge is protectedagainst wear; which would tend further to render the edge unsightly, andwhich presents an exposed pyroxylin surface of any desired color and,further, an insole which may be economically manufactured.

The nature and objects of the invention will appear more fully from'theaccompanying description and drawing and will be particularly pointedout in the claim.

'In the drawing: ,2

Fig. 1 illustrates in erspective a typical example of a womans cut-outor open shank shoe, together with an insole therein embodying thepresent invention. 40 Fig. 2 is ajplan view of the insole.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged and distorted illustrative cross section of theedge portion of the insole taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

It will be seen from Fig. 1 that with an open shank or cut-out shoe, theedge of the insole is distinctly visible at the shank l and at variouspoints such as 2-, cut away.

The bodv l of the insole may be of any suitable 50 shape and formed ofany suitable material, including the sheet materials of fibrouscomposition so largely employed in insole manufacture. The'peripheraledge of these insoles is unsuitable for outside exposure in a finishedshoe. This edge 55 is more or less rough and fibrous by nature and theexposed surface sheet material has been thus as shown in the drawing,being readily conformed will preferably extend 3-, l, 5, and 6, wherethe upper is poses," it will does not-readily take a finish such as isgiven to of the upper. Furthermore, it is readily roughened by wear orabrasion and more or less readily absorbent to foreign matter, and thusreadily soiled. 5

In the present invention a binding tape 8 of suitable fibrous sheetmaterial is-provided. This tape may be made of materials such asemployed in unwoven fibrous sheets, of cotton fibres or fibres employedin paper manufacture. The fibrous sheet material of this tape isimpregnated with a rubber solution which may be either a natural or anartificial aqueous solution or an organic solution of rubber. After thefibrous impregnated and dried, that surface which is to form the exposedor outer surface is then coated by any of the usual coating processeswith several coats of pyroxylin of the desired color to harmonize withthe shoe. The other or inner surface of the sheet material is thencoated with a gutta percha compound which-has the inherentcharacteristic of being rendered adherent by heat.

The binding tape when completed is of a width required to bind the edge'of the insole and presents throughout its exterior or exposed surfacethe pyroxylin coating properly colored and throughout its inner surfacea film of the gutta percha compound. v This tape is then applied to theinsole by any suitable means andas it is being applied, or justpreviously thereto, it is subjected to heat, which brings out theinherent gutta percha film and renders it adherent to the material ofthe insole as well as to the binding tape itself. The binding tape ispressed against the peripheral edge of the insole and overlies both 7surfaces of the insole adjacent said edge and thus surrounds and fitsagainst the edge of the insole,

to the contour of the insole in a smooth and unwrinkled condition. 0 Thetape need only extend aroundthat por- .tion of the edge of the insoleexposed to view butsubstantially throughout the entire edge of theinsole except the heel portion, as shown in Fig. 2. i

When the insole is completed, as, illustrated in Fig. 3 which isdistorted for illustrative purnated fibrous sheet material of thebinding tape with its exterior pyroxylin coating surrounds and fitsagainst the edge of the insole and overlies I the surfaces of the insoleadjacent the edge and that the film of gutta percha compoundadhercharacteristic of the,

be seen that the rubber-impreg ently engages and secures together thetape and ing tape of rubber impregnated fibrous material "the edge andsurfaces'of the insole, thus causing having an exterior pyroxyiincoating, the said the edge of the insole wherever exposed to viewbinding tape surrounding and fitting said edge, in the finished shoe topresent a finished, durable overlying the surfaces of the insoleadjacent said 5 edge o pleasing appearance and harmonizing edge, and afilm of gutta percha compound which 5 with the shoe. ischaracteristically rendered adherent by heat Having thus described theinvention, what is adherentiy engaging and securing together the claimedas new and desired to be secured by Lettape and said edge and surfacesand causing the ters Patent, is: insole where exposed in the finishedshoe to pre- 7 10 An insole for open shank shoes comprising a sent afinished, durable edge of pleasing appear- 10 sheet of fibrous materialof the required shape, ance.

' size and thickness having an edge unsuitable for outside exposure inthe finished shoe and a bind- JAMES J C I FOR

